By Del Moon

Morale Lifters and Record Setters

The 2023 World Police and Fire Games may have been in Winnipeg Canada, but after repeatedly hearing “Fort Worth” and “That’s a new record!” announced at the powerlifting venue one might have thought a cattle drive was coming through from the heart of Texas. 

The Fort Worth Police Department Powerlifting Team brought 15 officers, men and women ranging from 23 to their mid 50s to Canada. They came home with 15 medals (nine gold) and established nine new WPFG records in the various events and weight classes. And it’s not their first rodeo.

“Besides promoting fitness within the department, it’s also a big deal for our men and women to go to these games and do so well,” says team co-founder Officer Polo Meza. He recalls seeing the Texas Police Games had powerlifting when he got out of police academy in 2014. After winning gold in his first try, Meza formed a department team in 2015 and has developed a longtime sponsor relationship with The Bolt Street Gym. FWPD has been a regular at WPFG since 2017, racking up records even before their explosive performance in 2023. The team is already setting individual goals for Birmingham next year.

“Our name has grown. For us to continue to do this for this many years is amazing,” Meza says. “Some come and go, but we’ve been going strong as a team.” 

It’s hard to find a regular time for police officers to work out, but they manage to hold monthly trainings and have a coach and a personal program to follow on their own. “The energy and motivation is always high when we get together,” Polo notes. “The camaraderie and conversations among us are great. We also strive to be the best to make ourselves, our city and our department look good and feel proud.”

The team has earned the admiration of their peers and beyond. “We try to bridge gaps in the community by hosting open meets here in Fort Worth where civilians and other powerlifters can see officers being just like them,” Meza notes. “We’re not any different than others, and the public doesn’t always see us like that.”